What Are Blast Gate Dampers? Benefits, Design & Application | Dust Spares

June 9, 2020 Team Dust Spares Comments

Blast gate dampers are an important component within dust extraction systems that remove powder, wood, plastic and other dusts from the local environment. Blast gate dampers, which are a type of gate valve, help ensure the correct air flow and can also be used to close extraction points when required. Blast gate dampers are easy to operate, with a thumb screw used to lock the blade in an open or closed position, and simple to install and remove to facilitate cleaning.

Blast Gate Damper Design

Blast gate dampers need to be robust and durable, so they are die-cast from a hard-wearing aluminium alloy, which is highly resilient, resistant to corrosion and has a high strength-to-weight ratio. The blades are manufactured from a corrosion resistant Zintec steel (a cold rolled steel coated with a thin layer of zinc or these can be replaced with 316 grade stainless steel blades for food or corrosive applications).

Blast gate dampers boast a simple design, enabling a damper blade to move easily and be secured in place with a thumb-operated screw. By shutting off ducts, airflow to other machines can be increased, so maximum system efficiency can be achieved. Because of their simple design, blast gate dampers don’t require complex maintenance, but they can be easily added to existing or new systems with minimal manpower or time.

How Do Manual & Pneumatic Blast Gate Dampers Differ?

Blast gates may be manual or pneumatic. Manual blast gates have an integral duct screw that may be turned to lock the gate into position. The gates will either cut off the air flow or partially close the duct, so the system will be balanced and the air directed to different machines within it.

Pneumatic blast gate dampers operate automatically. An electric solenoid controls the compressed air flow to open and close pneumatic cylinders, and the gates are usually set up to open only when dust extraction is required (such as when a machine is in operation), reducing energy consumption in the process. Pneumatic blast gate dampers are particularly suited to equipment that is used and shut off frequently, to reduce the inconvenience of having to manually open and close the gates before each operation. Pneumatic blast gate dampers can be linked to a PLC pressure sensor or a variable frequency drive (VFD) so the fan is controlled according to the total air system requirement.

What Size Dampers Are Available?

Blast gate dampers are available in sizes from 63mm to 355mm. If you require a larger size, please get in touch to discuss your requirements as we can manufacture these from galvanised or stainless steel.

Dust Spares: First For Blast Gate Dampers

As a leading blast damper stockist we can supply your dust extraction system with the components you require for effective operation. While not all systems need gate dampers, they are a cost-effective and efficient way to manage and balance the system and can be easily fitted to existing systems retrospectively. For more information, give us a call on 03456 800 696 to discuss your requirements and one of our experts will be delighted to advise you about the most efficient options.